When comparing Guacamelee vs Corpse Party, the Slant community recommends Guacamelee for most people. In the question“What are the best indie games on Steam?”Guacamelee is ranked 21st while Corpse Party is ranked 46th. The most important reason people chose Guacamelee is:

Attacks in Guacamelee are done with combining lots of different attacks into one devastating and fun to execute combo.

Pros

Pro

Fun fighting combo system

Attacks in Guacamelee are done with combining lots of different attacks into one devastating and fun to execute combo.

Pro

Well executed pop-culture references as well as references of other titles

Pop-culture as well as other popular titles within the metroidvania and platformer genres are referenced throughout the game in various situations for comedic effect. And it's done in a very unobtrusive way as to not be annoying.

Pro

Game progression through new moves

Areas in the game are unlocked by performing moves on obstructive blocks, which allows your move complexity to increase proportionally with game progression.

Pro

Local co-op

Guacamelee has local co-op support.

Pro

Deep interactive storied gameplay

While there are no battles in the game (as one would expect from the RPG look of the title), the game does feature a deep interactive story that sees the player control different characters in different horror scenarios. Throughout the game you will be searching for clues and investigating mysterious events. The choices made throughout the game will affect the outcome, which makes for not only a good reason to replay the title but also a unique way to explore the story being told.

Pro

Minimal style creates tension through imagination

Corpse Party is based off of an old release from 1998 that was created with RPG Maker. This port uses that design and as such has a lot of text and sound effects due to not being designed around flashy graphics. This means the text and sound effects are what creates the atmosphere of horror in the game, which makes the player use their imagination to fill in the blanks of what is happening. This can actually work out to even more horrific scenarios when imagined over just being shown, which makes for an old school feel that requires the player be invested in order to get the most out of the game.

Pro

Never becomes too unnerving

While the plot of the game can be quite heavy and scary, there are times where the tension eases up (when exploring) as the music takes a lighter tone. This gives the player a much needed break from how unsettling the game can be.

Cons

Con

Controls on the keyboard don't work that well

The game is clearly designed with a controller in mind. Specifically, a mechanic that allows throwing enemies and various objects uses the analog stick to aim. Aiming using the keyboard is limited to 8 directions and is not sufficiently precise.

Con

Can fetishize violence

One thing that is a bit unsettling about the game is how much it fetishsizes the violence contained within. This may take the games violence a bit too far for the player due to how it often presents it in a unrealistic light.

Con

Overly familiar premise

For those familiar with Japanese horror games, the plot in Corpse Party should be pretty familiar. A group of school kids have accidentally performed an occult ritual and are now stuck in a haunted school trying to solve the mystery of who is killing off their friends. Basically, a haunted school horror RPG. While the gameplay is pretty good, making an effort to present a solid package, the plot itself is pretty hum drum and will be all too familiar for many.